135、此后，他们拿起那张纸，宣读了第三个题目，即生命树和善恶知识树，以及吃它们是什么意思？他们一致要求坐在东边的人阐述这个奥秘，因为它需要更深刻的理解。而东边的人享有火焰般的光芒，即出于爱的智慧，也就是有这两棵树的伊甸园所指的智慧。于是，东边的人回应说:“我们会进行说明。不过，由于人无法从自己获得任何事物，所接受的一切皆来自主，所以我们会从主来说明，但仍貌似凭我们自己从自己来说明。”他们接着说:“树表示人，它的果实表示生命的良善。因此，生命树是指人靠神活着，或神住在人里面。由于爱与智慧，仁与信，或良善与真理构成人里面来自神的生命，所以生命树就表示这些事物，人凭它们享有永生。在启示录（2:7; 22:2，14），被赐给人吃的生命树具有同样的含义。
善恶知识树表示相信凭自己而非神活着的人；因而表示相信人里面的爱与智慧，仁与信，或良善与真理属于他自己，而非神的人；之所以有如此的信仰，是因为，就一切样式和表象而言，他的所思所愿所言所行皆貌似出于他自己。人出于这种信仰确信，神已将祂自己植入他，或将自己的神性注入他，因此那蛇才说:
神知道，你们吃那树的果子之日，眼睛就开了，你们便如神能知道善恶。（创世记3:5）
吃这两棵树表示接受并变成自己的：吃生命树表示接受永生，吃善恶知识树表示接受地狱的刑罚。这也是为何亚当及其妻子，连同那蛇一起受到诅咒的原因。那蛇表示爱自己并以自我聪明为骄傲的魔鬼。这爱就是善恶知识树的主人，凡由于这爱而骄傲的人就是这种树。所以，那些以为亚当凭自己而有智慧和行善，并且这是他的初始状态的人，正在铸成大错。事实上，亚当自己就是因这种信仰而受诅的；因为这是吃善恶知识树所表示的。就是在此时，他从其初始状态堕落了；亚当正是由于这种初始状态才认为他有智慧并行善，凭的是神，根本不是他自己；因为这是吃生命树所表示的。当主在世时，唯有祂凭自己而有智慧，凭自己行善，因为自出生时神性本身就在祂里面，是祂的。所以，祂凭自己的能力成为救世主和救主。”
他们从这两方面得出以下结论：生命树、善恶知识树和吃它们表示：对人来说，生命就是拥有他里面的神，然后他便享有天堂和永生；而另一方面，对人来说，死亡则是被说服并确信，人里面的生命不是神，而是他自己；他由此招来地狱和永死，这就是诅咒。
135、此后，他们抽出那张纸开始讨论第三个问题。即生命这树象征着什么，善恶之树象征着什么及吃树上的果子意味着什么。人们请坐在东边的人来说一下，因为这个问题需要有深层的理解能力才能解决，因为他们拥有来自伊甸园的智慧。
东边的人回答说：“我们可以说一下，但是因为人从主那获得一切知识，我们所知的也是来自于主而非来自于我们自身。”
他们说；“树象征着人，树上的果子象征着生活中的善。生命之树象征着人因为主而活着或者说主活在一个人生上。因为爱，智慧，仁慈，信仰或者说是善和真理是神在人身上的体现。生命之树也就象征着这些品质，通过这些品质一个人才有永恒的生命。在。《启示录》中2:7，22:2，14，吃树上的果子也是同样的意思。
“善恶之树象征着人是为自己而非为神而活，因此他认为爱，智慧，仁慈及信仰或真理都是来自于他自身而非神。人会这样认为是因为他自己思考，自己有意愿，自己讲话及行为，就好象是都是来自于他自己。因为有这种想法的人意识到是神将他的神圣品质传入到他身上，所以蛇说：
神知道，你们吃的日子，眼睛就明亮了，你们便如神能知道善恶。（《启示录》3:5）
“吃这两个树上的果子象征着获得知识以及罪恶，所以亚当和他的妻子以及蛇都受到了惩罚，蛇意味着对自身的爱及因自己的才智而骄傲的罪恶。”
“人们会错误地认为亚当是智慧的，做了自己应该做的，那是他的纯朴状态。然而，亚当正是因为有这种想法才受到了惩罚，这就是他吃善恶树的果子的象征意义，因此丧失了相信自己的智慧和善，是来自于纯朴状态，这就是亚当吃生命之树果子的意思。”
“主在世间时智慧的，因自身的善而为善，因为他有生来就有的神性，因此他后来成了救世主。”
根据这些，在座的人得出结论：
“生命之树，善恶之树以及吃上面的果子象征着人的生命之源在于要心中有神，这样他就会拥有天堂及永恒的生命。相反，人的死亡之源在于否认神是生命之源而认为自己是自我的生命之源，这样的话，他就会遭遇地狱及永恒的死亡。”
135. After this they took up the paper and read out the third subject for discussion, which was 'What is the meaning of "the tree of life," "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" and "eating of them?"' They all asked those from the east to expound this question as requiring deeper understanding, since those from the east enjoy flame-like light, that is, the wisdom that comes from love. This wisdom is meant by the garden in Eden, in which these two trees were placed.
'Yes,' they said, 'we shall tell you this. But since man takes nothing from himself, but only from the Lord, our words will come from Him, but still from us as if they were our own.' Then they said: 'A tree stands for a person, and its fruit for the goodness of his life. So the tree of life means a person living from God, that is, God living in a person. Since love and wisdom, and charity and faith, or good and truth, make up God's life in a person, these are meant by the tree of life, and this is the source of his everlasting life. The tree of life from which it was granted to eat (Revelation 2:7; 22:2, 14) has a similar meaning.
[2] 'The tree of the knowledge of good and evil means a person believing that he owes his life to himself and not to God, and so the love and wisdom, charity and faith, that is, good and truth, a person has are his own and not God's. This belief is because he thinks and wills, speaks and acts, in all likeness and to all appearance as if from himself. It is because a person is persuaded by this belief that God has put Himself in him, or poured His Divinity into him, that the serpent said:
God knows that on the day when you have eaten of the fruit of that tree, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. Genesis 3:5.
[3] 'Eating of those trees means receiving and making one's own. Eating of the tree of life means receiving everlasting life, and eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil means receiving damnation. That too is why both of them, Adam and his wife, together with the serpent, were cursed. The serpent means the devil as regards self-love and pride in one's own intelligence. This love is the owner of that tree, and people who are proud as the result of that love are those trees.
'Those, therefore, who believe that Adam was wise and did good of himself, and that this was his pristine state, are making a gross error, since in fact Adam himself was cursed for this belief. For this is what eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil means. It was then that he fell from his pristine state, which he owed to believing that he was wise and did good from God, and not at all from himself; for this is what eating of the tree of life means. It was only the Lord who, while He was in the world, was wise from Himself and did good from Himself, because from birth Divinity itself was in Him and was His. So by His own power He became the Redeemer and Saviour.'
[4] From both these points they drew the conclusion that the tree of life, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and eating of them mean that life for a person is having God in him, and then he enjoys heaven and everlasting life; but it is death for a person to be persuaded and believe that life for a person is not God, but himself, and he then finds hell and everlasting death, in other words, damnation.
135. After this they took the piece of paper and read the third topic for discussion, namely, what the tree of life symbolizes, what the tree of the knowledge of good and evil symbolizes, and what eating from them means. And they all asked the people on the east to explain this mystery, because it required a deeper understanding, and people who come from the east have a flaming light, that is to say, a wisdom that comes of love, which is the wisdom meant by the garden in Eden in which the two trees were placed.
The people on the east, then, replied, "We will speak. But because no one acquires anything from himself but from the Lord, we will speak from Him, though it will still seem to come from us as though it originated with us."
Then they said, "A tree symbolizes a person; and its fruit, goodness of life. The tree of life therefore symbolizes a person living from God, or God living in the person. And because love and wisdom and charity and faith or good and truth constitute the life of God in a person, the tree of life symbolizes these qualities, from which a person has eternal life. The tree of life which people will be given to eat from, in the book of Revelation, has a similar symbolism (Revelation 2:7, 22:2,14).
[2] "The tree of the knowledge of good and evil symbolizes a person believing that he lives on his own and not from God, thus that the love and wisdom, charity and faith, or good and truth in the person are his and not God's - believing this because he thinks and wills, and speaks and acts, in all likeness and appearance as if on his own. Because a person with this belief comes into the persuasion that God has introduced Himself or infused His Divinity into him, therefore the serpent said:
...God knows that in the day you eat (of the fruit of the tree) your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:5)
[3] "Eating from the two trees symbolizes acquisition and assimilation. Eating from the tree of life symbolizes acquisition of eternal life, and eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil symbolizes acquisition of damnation. Therefore Adam and his wife were both cursed along with the serpent. The serpent means the devil in respect to self-love and pride in its own intelligence. This love takes possession of the tree, and people who are caught up in pride as a result of that love are the trees it possesses.
"People fall into an enormous error, therefore, who believe that Adam was wise and did good from his own nature, and that this was his state of integrity, when Adam himself was cursed for precisely that belief. For this is what is symbolized by his eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That was why he then fell from his state of integrity, which he had had as a result of his believing that he was wise and did good from God and not from himself, for that is what is meant by his eating from the tree of life.
"The Lord alone, when He was in the world, was wise of Himself and did good of Himself, because the Divine itself was in Him and was His from birth. Consequently He also became Redeemer and Savior by His own power."
[4] On the basis of these remarks and explanations, the people formed the following conclusion:
"The tree of life, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and eating from them," they said, "symbolize that the source of life for man is to have God in him, and that he then gains heaven and eternal life. On the other hand, the source of death for man is the persuasion and belief that the source of life for man is not God but himself, on which account he gains hell and eternal death, which is damnation."
135. After this they picked up the paper and read the third subject of investigation, which was, "What do the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowing Good and Evil stand for, and what does eating from them mean?"
Everyone asked the ones from the east to unfold this mystery, because it calls for deeper understanding, and the ones from the east have a blazing light. In other words, they have the wisdom of love. The garden of Eden, where the two trees were placed, stood for this wisdom.
They said, "We'll do the speaking, but no one gets anything from himself, but from the Lord, so we'll be speaking from Him, and yet by ourselves as if it came from us."
Then they said, "A tree stands for man, and its fruit stands for the good that has to do with life. So the Tree of Life stands for a person who 'lives from' God, or God living in a person. And love and wisdom, as well as charity and faith (that means good and truth), make the life of God in people, so these things are what the Tree of Life stands for. For this reason it stands for man's eternal life. The Tree of Life in Revelation 2:7 and 22:2, 14, which you could eat from, stands for the same thing.
"The Tree of Knowing Good and Evil stands for people believing that they have life in themselves and not from God - in other words, believing that love and wisdom, and charity and faith, that is, good and truth, are something of your own in you and not God's. People believe this because they think, will, speak, and act as if by themselves, in all likeness and appearance. And in this belief a person persuades himself that God put Himself into him - infused His Divinity into him - so this is why the Serpent said, 'God knows that the day you eat the fruit of that tree your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil' (Genesis 3:5).
"Eating from those trees means receiving something and making it your own. Eating from the Tree of Life means receiving eternal life, and eating from the Tree of Knowing Good and Evil means accepting condemnation. This is why both Adam and his wife were cursed along with the serpent. The serpent means the devil in respect to self - love and pride in your own intelligence.
That tree belongs to self - love, and people who are proud because of that love are that kind of tree.
"So the people who believe that Adam knew and did good by himself and that this was his perfection are making a terrible mistake. In fact, it was because he believed this that Adam was cursed, for this is the meaning of eating from the Tree of Knowing Good and Evil. For this he fell from his state of perfection, which he had because he believed that he knew and did good due to God and not at all by himself - which indeed is what eating from the Tree of Life means.
"Only the Lord, when He was in the world, knew by Himself and did good by Himself, because Divinity Itself was in Him from birth and was His. And so it was also from His own power that He became Redeemer and Savior."
From these and the other ideas they drew this conclusion:
"The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowing Good and Evil, and eating from them, means that man's life is God in him and that in this way he has heaven and eternal life. And it means that the death of a human being is the persuasion and belief that man's life is not God but himself, which brings him hell and eternal death, which is condemnation."
135. They then took the paper and read the third subject of discussion, which was, WHAT IS SIGNIFIED BY THE TREE OF LIFE, WHAT BY THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, AND WHAT BY THE EATING OF THEM? Because this was an arcanum requiring a more profound understanding, they all requested that those who were at the east would unfold it; for those who are at the east are in flamy light, that is, in the wisdom of love, which wisdom is meant by the garden in Eden wherein those two trees were placed. The men at the east then answered, "We will speak; but because man cannot acquire anything whatever from himself but receives all from the Lord, we will speak from Him, but still from ourselves as if of ourselves."
They then said: "A tree signifies man, and its fruit signifies the good of life. By the tree of life, therefore, is meant man living from God, or God living in man. And because love and wisdom, and charity and faith, or good and truth, make the life of God in man, it is these that are signified by the tree of life, and from them man has life eternal. The like is signified by the tree of life in the Apocalypse of which it will be granted man to eat (Revelation 2:7; 22: 2,14).
[2] By the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is signified the man who believes that he lives from himself and not from God; thus that love and wisdom, charity and faith, or good and truth, are his own in man and not God's, believing this because he thinks and wills, and speaks and acts, in all likeness and appearance as if from himself. And because from this belief he persuades himself that God has implanted in him, that is, has infused into him, His own Divine, therefore the serpent said:
God doth know that in the day that ye eat of the fruit of that tree your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil. Genesis 3:5.
[3] By eating of those trees is signified reception and appropriation--by eating of the tree of life, the reception of life eternal, and by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the reception of damnation. Therefore both Adam and his wife were accursed together with the serpent. By the serpent is meant the devil, as to the love of self and the pride of self-intelligence. This love is the possessor of that tree; and men who are in pride from this love are such trees. They, therefore, are in enormous error who believe that Adam was wise and did good from himself, and that this was his state of integrity, when yet Adam was himself accursed on account of that very belief, this being what is signified by his eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Therefore, he then fell from the state of integrity in which he had been by virtue of believing that he was wise and did good from God and not at all from himself, this being meant by eating of the tree of life. The Lord alone, when He was in the world, was wise of Himself and did good from Himself, because the Divine itself was in Him and was His from birth. Therefore He became the Redeemer and Savior by His own power."
[4] From this and the preceding discussions, they then formed the following conclusion: "By the tree of life, and by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and by eating from them, is signified that for man life is God in him, and he then has heaven and eternal life; but that death for man is the persuasion and belief that life in man is not God but is himself; whence he has hell and eternal death, which is damnation!"
135. Thereupon they took the paper and read the third subject of inquiry, namely, What is meant by "the tree of life," by "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil," and by "eating" of them? They all requested that those from the east should unfold this secret, as it called for profounder understanding, and because those from the east are in a flaming light, that is, in the wisdom of love, or the wisdom signified by the garden of Eden, in which the two trees named were placed.
They responded, "We shall speak; but as man cannot obtain anything whatever of himself, but receives all from the Lord, we shall speak from Him; and yet we shall do so as if of ourselves." Then they said, "A tree signifies a man, and its fruit signifies the good of life. By the tree of life, therefore, is meant man living from God, or God living in man. And as love and wisdom, or charity and faith, or good and truth, make the life of God in man, these are meant by the tree of life, and from these man has life eternal. The like is signified by the tree of life of which it is given to eat, in Revelation 2:7; 22:2, 14.
[2] By the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, on the other hand, is signified the man who believes that he lives of himself, and not from God; thus, that love and wisdom, charity, and faith, that is, good and truth, are in man, his own, and not of God; believing this because he thinks and wills, and speaks and acts with all the look and appearance of doing so of himself. It is because man in this belief persuades himself that God has imparted Himself or infused His Divine into him, that the serpent said:
God knows that in the day that you eat of the fruit of that tree your eyes will be opened, and you will be as God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5).
[3] By eating of those trees is signified reception and appropriation; by eating of the tree of life, the reception of life eternal; and by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the reception of condemnation; therefore also both Adam and his wife, together with the serpent, were accursed. By the serpent is meant the devil as to the love of self and the pride of one's own intelligence. This love is the owner of the tree of knowledge; and men who are in pride from this love are such trees. Those are in monstrous error, therefore, who believe that Adam was wise and did good from himself, and that this was his state of integrity; when, as a matter of fact, it was on account of Adam's believing so, signified by his eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that he was accursed. He then fell from the state of integrity, in which he was by virtue of believing that he was wise and did good only from God, and not at all from himself; which is meant by eating of the tree of life. The Lord alone when He was in the world was wise of Himself and did good from Himself; for the Divine Itself was in Him and was His by nativity. He therefore became the Redeemer and Savior by His own power, too."
[4] From all that had been said they formed this conclusion: "By the tree of life, and by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and by eating of them, is signified that life for man is God in him; and that then he has heaven and eternal life; but the persuasion and belief that life for man is not God, but himself, is death to him; by such belief he reaps hell and eternal death, which is damnation."
135. Then they took the paper and read the third subject of consideration, which was, What is meant by 'the tree of life,' what by 'the tree of knowledge of good and evil,' and what by 'eating' of them? And all requested that those who were from the east would unfold this secret, because it requires a profounder understanding, and they who are from the east are in flaming light, that is, in the wisdom of love, and that wisdom is meant by the garden of Eden, wherein those two trees were placed.
They answered, 'We shall speak; but as man cannot obtain anything whatever from himself, but receives all from the Lord, we shall speak from Him; and yet it will be by us as if from us.' And then they said, 'A tree signifies man; and its fruit signifies the good of life. By the tree of life, therefore, is meant man living from God, or God living in man. And as love and wisdom, and charity and faith, or good and truth, make the life of God in man, these are meant by the tree of life, and from these man has life eternal. The like is signified by the tree of life of which it is given to eat, in Revelation 2:7; 22:2, 14. By the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is signified the man who believes that he lives of himself, and not from God; thus, that love and wisdom, charity and faith, that is, good and truth, are in man, his own, and not of God, believing this, because he thinks and wills, and speaks and acts in all similitude and appearance as if from himself. And because from this belief man persuades himself that God has imparted Himself or infused His Divine into him, therefore, the serpent said:
God doth know that in the day that ye eat of the fruit of that tree your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5).
By eating of those trees is signified reception and appropriation; by eating of the tree of life, the reception of life eternal; and by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the reception of condemnation, and therefore, also both Adam and his wife, together with the serpent, were accursed. By the serpent is meant the devil as to the love of self and the pride of one's own intelligence. This love is the possessor of that tree; and men who are in pride from this love are such trees. They therefore, are in a monstrous error who believe that Adam was wise and did good from himself, and that this was his state of integrity; when in fact Adam was himself accursed on account of that belief, for this is signified by his eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Therefore he then fell from the state of integrity, in which he was by virtue of believing that he was wise and did good from God, and not at all from himself; for this is meant by eating of the tree of life. The Lord alone when He was in the world was wise of Himself and did good from Himself; because the Divine Itself was in Him and was His by nativity. And therefore, also by His own power He became the Redeemer and Saviour.'
From all that had been said they formed this conclusion: 'That by the tree of life, and by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and by eating of them, is signified that life with man is God in him; and that then it is heaven to him and eternal life. And that death to man is the persuasion and belief that the life he has is not God, but himself; from which belief comes hell to him and eternal death, which is damnation.'
135. Post haec sumserunt chartam, et tertium objectum ventilationis legerunt, quod erat, Quid significat Arbor vitae, quid Arbor scientiae boni et mali, et quid Esus ex illis; et rogaverunt omnes, ut illi qui ex Oriente erant, evolverent hoc arcanum, quia profundioris intellectus est, et quia illi qui ex Oriente sunt, in flammea luce, hoc est, in amoris sapientia sunt; et haec sapientia intelligitur per Hortum in Edene, in quo illae duae Arbores positae fuerunt; et responderunt, "dicemus, sed quia homo non sumit quicquam ex se, sed ex Domino, dicemus ex Ipso, at usque a nobis sicut a nobis;" et tunc dixerunt: "Arbor significat hominem, et fructus ejus, bonum vitae; inde per Arborem vitae significatur homo vivens ex Deo, seu Deus vivens in homine; et quia amor et sapientia, ac charitas et fides, seu bonum et verum, faciunt vitam Dei in homine, per Arborem vitae significantur haec, et inde homini vita aeterna; simile significatur per Arborem vitae, e qua dabitur edere, Apoc. 2:7. Apoc. 22:2, 14.
[2] Per Arborem scientiae boni et mali, significatur homo credens quod vivat ex se, et non ex Deo; ita quod amor et sapientia, charitas et fides, hoc est, bonum et verum, sint in homine ejus et non Dei; hoc credens quia cogitat et vult, ac loquitur et facit, in omni similitudine et apparentia sicut ex se; et quia homo ex hac fide sibi persuadet, quod Deus indiderit Se, 1seu infuderit suum Divinum in illum, ideo dixit serpens, "Novit Deus, quo die comederitis de fructu illius Arboris, aperientur oculi vestri, et eritis sicut Deus, scientes bonum et malum," Gen. 3:5.
[3] Per Esum ex illis Arboribus significatur receptio et appropriatio, per esum ex Arbore vitae receptio vitae aeternae, et per esum ex arbore scientiae boni et mali receptio damnationis; ideo etiam uterque, Adamus et ejus uxor, una cum serpente, maledicti sunt; per serpentem intelligitur diabolus quoad amorem sui et fastum propriae intelligentiae, et hic amor est possessor illius arboris, et homines qui in fastu ex illo amore sunt, illae arbores sunt. Sunt itaque illi in enormi errore, qui credunt Adamum sapuisse et bonum fecisse ex se, et hoc fuisse statum ejus integritatis; cum tamen ipse Adamus propter illam fidem maledictus est; hoc enim significatur per edere ex arbore scientiae boni et mali; quare tunc excidit ex statu integritatis, qui illi fuit ex eo, quod crederet se sapere et bonum facere ex Deo, et nihil ex se, hoc enim intelligitur per edere ex arbore vitae. Solus Dominus, cum fuit in Mundo, sapuit ex Se, 2et bonum fecit ex Se, 3quia Ipsum Divinum a nativitate fuit in Ipso et Ipsius, quare etiam ex propria potentia factus est Redemptor et Salvator:"
[4] ex his et illis conclusum fecerunt hoc, "Quod per Arborem vitae, et per Arborem scientiae boni et mali, et per Esum ex illis, significetur quod vita homini sit Deus in illo, et quod tunc ei Coelum et Vita aeterna; at quod mors homini sit persuasio et fides, quod vita homini non sit Deus sed ipse, unde ei Infernum et Mors aeterna, quae est damnatio."
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: se,
2. Prima editio: se,
3. Prima editio: se,